Anubis (アヌビス神, Anubisu-shin, lit. "God Anubis") is the former Stand of Caravan Serai, and a tertiary antagonist featured in the third part of the JoJo's Bizarre Adventure series, Stardust Crusaders, specifically the "Anubis" story arc. It is also a member of the Egypt 9 Glory Gods, a group of Stands representing ancient Egyptian gods.
Anubis is a Stand bound to an ancient sword with the ability to possess whoever holds it in body and mind, forcing them to become its user in the process. As it repeatedly attacks the Joestar Group, Anubis learns from its failures, becoming a stronger opponent with each defeat.
Appearance
Anubis appears as an approximate version of the mythological Anubis it is named after, with a human body and a dark canid's head. Anubis is bare-chested but wears a headdress from ancient Egypt, a Nemes; he also wears armbands in the anime adaptation.
Anubis is bound to a Shamshir style sword, curved and double-edged with an elaborate, jeweled-encrusted cross-guard complete with a scabbard.
Color Schemes
Personality
Following the death of its original user, Caravan Serai, Anubis loyally serves DIO, both out of gratitude for freeing it and submission to DIO's power.[2]
Anubis is over-aggressive, entirely focused on killing people. It relishes fighting because it memorizes the techniques of its opponents to improve itself and is confident, with reason, that it won't lose to the same technique twice. It often encourages its victims to wield it by telling them that they are the greatest swordsmen in the world, but it won't hesitate to abandon them if they are defeated or the opportunity to possess a stronger user arises. Anubis is very persistent in trying to kill Polnareff and Jotaro, its nature as a sword-bound Stand allowing it to pass off as a simple object. Even then, once it is defeated, it memorizes the abilities of the opponent and grows in strength and speed to surpass them. Even against Jotaro, Anubis was confident that it wouldn't lose three times despite having most of the sword broken into harmless shards. On the other hand, Anubis completely respects DIO as The World has proven to be beyond its level. Thus, it swore loyalty to the only man whom it could never hope to surpass.
As with many of DIO's minions, it is prone to gloating when it seems to have the advantage against its enemies, which proved to be its downfall against Jotaro Kujo. When cornered or put in an extreme disadvantage, i.e. a situation it can no longer control, Anubis is shown to be fumbling and comically panicky. It notably forgot not to phase through a wall as it was thrown towards the Nile, which contributed to its downfall. As it sunk to the bottom of the river, Anubis became so desperate it tried to cajole the fish and crabs into touching it, only driving them away by doing so. When its situation became hopeless, Anubis could only lament its loneliness.
It represents the Egyptian God, Anubis, the god of the death in Egyptian mythology.
Abilities
Anubis is an extremely dangerous battle-dedicated Stand whose multiple powers support it in direct combat and make it more formidable the longer it has fought. Although it has to possess someone first to fight, once unsheathed and wielded by an unwitting puppet, Anubis is capable of fighting Silver Chariot and Star Platinum toe-to-toe. Even without its powers, the sword is very sharp and Chaka was able to cut through a stone pillar with it.[3]
Anubis is a resilient Stand, as even if the sword is broken, it will simply remain active in the largest part of it and retain its full power.[2]
Mind Control
Anubis is able to control whoever draws it, no matter how strong their willpower is.[4] When unsheathed, the sword emits a mysterious entrancing light[5] and the wielder will begin to hear Anubis speaking in their mind, encouraging them to use it against all in their path. Eventually, they will be completely overtaken by Anubis itself, allowing the Stand to control their body. Even other Stand users are not immune to this effect - if Anubis controls them, it also takes control of their Stands.[6] Once Anubis leaves its host, they regain their senses, as Polnareff being freed from it demonstrates.[2]
Anubis manipulates the person who draws the sword, turning them into a master swordsman.[7][8] However, it does not change how its user wields the sword as Polnareff notes that Chaka is wielding it like a complete amateur;[9] conversely, part of Jotaro's difficulty in fighting Anubis is due to Polnareff's sword fighting experience, allowing him to wield his new sword in deadly tandem with Silver Chariot.
Selective Intangibility
As a cursed sword, Anubis possesses a unique technique that allows it to render its blade intangible at will, enabling it to cut through opponents while passing through objects. When in its intangible state, the sword can pass through stones, walls, and even living beings like cows, without leaving any damage on them.[4][7] For instance, when Polnareff hid behind a stone column, Anubis was able to slash him without damaging the column or even Polnareff's clothes.[9] It was also able to cut the hand of a person whom it didn't want to be drawn by, despite the fact that it was still sheathed in its scabbard.[4]
Development
Anubis's most dangerous ability shown is to remember any attack that is launched against it and counter it.[10] This is truly deadly if it fights someone it has already fought with; the same tactics will not work on it more than once, no matter how well-planned out it is. This, combined with its ability to control people, means it can attack the same person repeatedly, wearing them down by constantly remembering their attacks until they have none left to use.[10]
As an extension of the above ability, Anubis gradually becomes more powerful as a battle goes on; both Jotaro and Polnareff note that Anubis is becoming faster and stronger by the second during their respective fights against its possessed wielders.[10][11] When possessing Polnareff and Silver Chariot, the speed of Silver Chariot's techniques become so quick that even Star Platinum has a difficult time reacting to it, with Jotaro pointing out that it is the fastest Stand he's ever fought against at that point.[6]
Selective Drawing
Anubis can choose who will draw it from its sheath - it is impossible to draw the sword until Anubis is being wielded by someone it wants to possess. Even 3 grown men pulling with all their strength won't budge it in this case.[4] This ability can apply to multiple hosts simultaneously, as seen when the Stand takes control of multiple rats,[10] though whether this extends to humans is unknown. Additionally, it can move itself to a limited extent without a user, being able to sheathe itself after its user was defeated and cut another person while still embedded in a victim's chest.
Techniques
A technique developed by Anubis after possessing Polnareff. Silver Chariot grabs the Anubis sword and uses it in tandem with its own.
History
Background
Anubis was created around 500 years before the events of Stardust Crusaders when its user, Caravan Serai, forged the sword it is bound to.[2]
500 years after its user and creator died, DIO found Anubis in a museum. Anubis swore loyalty to DIO because of The World's overwhelming power and was eventually deployed to Egypt in an attempt to stop DIO's enemies from reaching his mansion.[2][4]
Stardust Crusaders (1989)
Anubis is first introduced when it is found by a farmer named Chaka, who then draws the sword out of curiosity and becomes possessed.[4] The possessed Chaka then cuts down his companions and eventually challenges Polnareff, who defeats Chaka after some struggle and takes the sheathed blade with him.[9] A barber named Khan eventually picks up the sword and also becomes possessed,[10] but is defeated by Jotaro. Despite being broken in two by Star Platinum, Anubis remains active.[11]
Later, Polnareff himself falls victim to Anubis when he accidentally unsheathes the sword while struggling with a passing policeman trying to take the sword.[11] With Polnareff as its host, Anubis gives Jotaro a difficult fight, especially when it influences Polnareff to wield its sword in tandem with Silver Chariot.[6] However, Jotaro eventually tricks the evil Stand into leaving itself open to a beating from Star Platinum, shattering the hilt and releasing Polnareff from Anubis's control.[2]
However, Anubis survives in the other half of the sword, possessing a child that picks it up from the street. Through its latest host, Anubis attempts to ambush the weakened Jotaro and Polnareff, but the child ends up throwing the blade past its targets when he trips over Iggy. After accidentally phasing through a wall in a panic, Anubis lands in a cow that thrashes its way into the Nile River, with its struggles causing the blade to fall from its flank and into the water. Anubis attempts to call out to the nearby fish and crabs to help it up, but nobody else takes notice of the sword, leaving it to rust at the bottom of the Nile.[2]
Chapters / Episodes
Manga Appearances- Chapter 184: "The Fool" Iggy and "Geb" N'Doul, Part 2 (Mentioned only)
- Chapter 185: "The Fool" Iggy and "Geb" N'Doul, Part 3 (Mentioned only)
- Chapter 188: "The Fool" Iggy and "Geb" N'Doul, Part 6 (Mentioned only)
- Chapter 193: Anubis, Part 1
- Chapter 194: Anubis, Part 2
- Chapter 195: Anubis, Part 3
- Chapter 196: Anubis, Part 4
- Chapter 197: Anubis, Part 5
- Chapter 198: Anubis, Part 6 (Retired)
- Chapter 199: "Bastet" Mariah, Part 1 (Mentioned only)
- Chapter 210: Shooting DIO?! (Mentioned only)
- Chapter 213: D'Arby the Gambler, Part 3 (Mentioned only)
- Steel Ball Run Extra Chapter 3: Untitled Stand Chapter (Mentioned only)
- Cool Shock Old B.T. Chapter 1: The Eerie Freckled Old Geezer Incident (Blade only)
Anime Appearances- Stardust Crusaders Episode 28: Anubis, Part 1
- Stardust Crusaders Episode 29: Anubis, Part 2 (Retired)
Quotes
Quotes- “I am the Stand of the god Anubis, god of the underworld, the spirit of death and mummification... You have unsheathed me... you will be my body, I will make you a master of the sword. No one is stronger than you... use me and kill!”—Anubis to Chaka, Chapter 193: Anubis, Part 1
- “Kill Joseph! Dismember Polnareff! Split Jotaro in two! You're a sword master, the strongest in the world. Destroy them all!”—Anubis to Chaka, Chapter 194: Anubis, Part 2
- “I know all your moves now. Even though my wielder is different... if I've fought you once... I never lose twice!”—Anubis to Polnareff, Chapter 196: Anubis, Part 4
- “Star Platinum... not bad. The rumors were true, you've got speed. But now that I've seen it... I can beat it.”—Anubis, Chapter 197: Anubis, Part 5
- “You fool! Your "ora ora" is no match against two swords wielded by two master swordsmen combined! Your stomach is wide open!”—Anubis, Chapter 197: Anubis, Part 5
- “Wh... Wh... What?! You're breaking me! I'm stuck in your chest and you're smashing me apart! I... I have to pull out! Nooo! Stop!”—Anubis, Chapter 198: Anubis, Part 6
Gallery
The sword while in Chaka's possession
Anubis possessing Chaka
A fly killed by only touching Anubis
Anubis's selective intangibility
Anubis possessing rats
Anubis possessing Khan
Khan attacks Polnareff
Anubis possessing Polnareff
Silver Chariot and Anubis!
Trading blows with Star Platinum
Anubis appears in the form of a vision
A boy possessed by Anubis
A cow possessed by Anubis
Anubis condemned to rust at the bottom of the Nile River
Chapter 195 Cover A
Chapter 196 Cover
Chapter 197 Cover
Chapter 198 Cover
Anubis appears in the form of a vision
Anubis, wielded by Chaka, and his Egypt 9 Glory Gods card
Anubis being unsheathed by Polnareff
Anubis dual-wielded with Silver Chariot
A boy possessed by Anubis
Anubis's stats (Chaka)
Anubis's stats (Khan)
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Anubis's silhouette in the fourth opening
Stardust Crusaders 2016 Calendar (September–October)
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Stand-up Icon
Chaka allured by the sword
Projecting next to Chaka
Scared
Charging to Attack
Attacking
Win Pose
Kotobukiya; Jean Pierre Polnareff's accessory
Free Motion; Silver Chariot's accessory
Super Action Statue; Silver Chariot's accessory
Super Action Statue Second color
Chara Heroes; Part 3 Vol.3
JoJo's Bizarre Mini Figure Another Color
Nendoroid; Jean Pierre Polnareff's accessory
glamb Scarf
Adventure Battle Card; Chaka
Khan
Anubis
Anubis
Chaka
Khan
Anubis
Chaka
Anubis
Weekly Shonen Jump #13, 1997
References
- ↑ JOJO A-GO!GO!: STANDS, p.104
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 Chapter 198: Anubis, Part 6
- ↑ Chapter 194: Anubis, Part 2, p15
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 Chapter 193: Anubis, Part 1
- ↑ JOJO A-GO!GO!: STANDS, p.40
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Chapter 197: Anubis, Part 5
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 JOJO A-GO!GO!, p.40
- ↑ JOJOVELLER STANDS, p.59
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 Chapter 194: Anubis, Part 2
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 Chapter 195: Anubis, Part 3
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 Chapter 196: Anubis, Part 4